


Nobody Else has ever Done This

by Blue_Sparkle



Series: Tales and Missadventures of a Thief, His Soldier and All the Others [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, everyone assumes too much, marriage proposals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2013-10-30
Packaged: 2017-12-31 00:15:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Sparkle/pseuds/Blue_Sparkle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The times Dwalin tried to propose to his thief and failed, and one time Nori actually felt like he could say yes.<br/>or Nori's view on the things happening in Chapter 3 of the other fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody Else has ever Done This

**Author's Note:**

> Best read after 'Five times Dwalin tried to propose to Nori, and one time Nori said yes' chapter 3, but can be also seen as its own story

It was just his luck, Nori thought bitterly, that the one time he wasn’t able to convince someone that he was innocent of stealing and cheating was also the one time he _actually_ hadn’t done it. He might be able to prove it, and explain why exactly it couldn’t have been him, if they just gave him time. Not that the likes of Hakr would let him have a chance to speak anyway.

No, Hakr was more likely to cut off your fingers and stuff them in your mouth than take some time for listening to what you had to say in your defence. Then he would come back for more, once he decided that the gold you owed wasn’t returned quickly enough.

Nori hated it, hated how he couldn’t walk about Ered Luin without having to constantly look out for Hakr or his many friends. If Ered Luin were just some other place he could have handled it. It wasn’t that hard living among thieves and cut-throats even if someone was trying to kill him or at least cause lasting physical damage.

But Ered Luin was where his home was, where his family lived, where he wasn’t just Nori the thief, it was where he was Nori son of Kori. He did not want to have to pretend to be the ruthless and infallible criminal all the time, not there.

Instead he had fled. There really was no other word for what he was doing, staying away from the Blue Mountains for so many years at a time, even after there was nowhere he wanted to go and nothing he wanted to steal. He wanted the streets of Ered Luin, the workshop and his kin, not some tavern in a little town at the boarders of Rohan.

Nori stared into his drink, miserable but his face showing nothing but mild boredom and perhaps amusement. He was sick of that, too. In Ered Luin he was no stranger and could sit in a dark corner of some tavern, glaring at a jug of beer and nobody would see it as an invitation to try and knife him in some dark alley thinking that he was too preoccupied with his own problems.

He had been on the road for too long, first just wandering from town to town like he sometimes did, but now he had been at it for _years_ with hardly any time spend at home, far longer than ever before. He missed his brothers, and just being able to be around people he genuinely liked and who would not contemplate what gain could be made from turning him in. He missed Dwalin, too.

He was one of the better (if not the best) Dwarves Nori had ever had; honest and a good person, had likely never done anything illegal in his life. He was also friends with the King and was constantly wandering about, just like Nori, but with a much less shady purpose perhaps.

After such a long time apart Dwalin might not want to return to the way their little arrangement had been before. It surprised Nori how much that thought distressed him, but at the same time it had to be expected. It felt nice to just be in Dwalin’s presence and there was a tentative companionship like none he had before. Nori would miss that about their time together. And of course Dwalin was also a fantastic lay.

Speaking of which…

The Dwarrowdam that had flirted at Nori for the entire evening had finally decided that the night had gotten late enough and made her way towards his table.

Nori sat up a little straighter, giving her a smirk as she leaned against the edge of the table and towards him.

"I could start with a clever introduction, but we both know why I’m here. Just two Dwarrows in strangers’ lands, sharing a bed and some fun, how does that sound to you?"

"Depends on what fun means for you," Nori replied and looked her up and down. She was a pretty sight, with nut-brown hair falling in unbraided ropes over her back and skin darkened from a life spent beneath the sun. Combined with the clothes she wore she might have passed for a young human boy, if not for her stocky statue.

"Hmmm," she shifted closer, casting an appreciative look over Nori in turn. "I’d say a quick shag and if your fingers please me I might use my mouth on your cock. And in the morning we can share a pipe and go on our way."

Nori’s lips twitched in a barely suppressed smile. She really was the type of Dwarf he’d usually go for, witty, direct and not likely to expect anything else of him.

"So." She placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it slightly and fingers playing with his collar. "Are you interested?"

It had been so long since the last time Nori had had anything but his hands to pleasure himself, so the offer was tempting. And yet, he hadn’t really been with anyone since that thing with Dwalin had started. It somehow felt like a betrayal, to even consider it.

"Sorry, deary, but I must decline that proposition."

She laughed and tugged at his shirt. “Aye, but why’s that. Don’t you find me appealing at all, or don’t you have a cock? Because I can work around that.”

Nori shifted in his chair and picked up his tankard in a way that made the Dwarrowdam’s hand fall of his shoulder.

"Neither, sweetheart. I decline because I’m already a spoken for Dwarf meself."

She blinked and then burst out with a loud laugh, shaking her head in disbelieve.

"Ah, so sorry to hear that. Wouldn’t have taken you for the type to be bound to someone by the looks of you."

She pushed herself of the edge of the table and gave Nori a little bow, smiling amiably.

"Whoever the lucky Dwarf is, tell them to keep an eye out on the competition, someone like you is pretty enough to get propositions even with the prospect of a jealous lover looming around. And should you change your mind…"

With a last seductive glance at him, she turned and walked away to look for someone else to proposition to, her hips swaying nicely as she went.

Nori watched her go and felt how his mood dropped faster than a rock thrown in water. He knew that he was probably scowling and turned his attention to the ale.

Of course he knew that what she had said was the truth. He knew that he was a good-looking Dwarf and would always find enough willing partners to share a quick fuck with. And he knew that everyone would always assume that he was willing to take anyone he found appealing without any regards for things such as having a lover and being faithful.

That thought made him grit his teeth. It wasn’t even like he _had_ a proper lover right now, he had never really _said_ anything of that to Dwalin, though they had behaved that way, and it was likely that Dwalin wouldn’t even be interested in him after such a long time. For all he knew Dwalin might be getting laid somewhere in the Iron Hills this very moment.

He should have gone with the Dwarowdam. Nori glanced up to where she was sitting with some other Dwarves at the other end of the room, winking at him as she caught him staring.

Perhaps he could just…

With an internal groan, Nori chugged down the rest of his ale and rose to walk out of the tavern without another look back. He ought not feel so bad for considering it, Dwalin would likely not mind if he knew. It was only natural to look around for other Dwarrows after so long of no contact.

It _wasn’t_ cheating. With any other Nori would have returned to her, but Dwalin had _never_ questioned or brought up his fidelity. Of course, they had not promised one another anything, and Dwalin would occasionally glare at anyone flirting with Nori too obviously.

But that was to be expected of a Dwarf lover and unlike _anyone_ else he had never implied that Nori was too easy or anything else.

He just couldn’t, not until he _knew_ that whatever they had was over.

***

Returning to Ered Luin while Hakr and friends still held a grudge against him was probably a bad idea. Nori knew that, but he decided it was worth the risk.

Thorin was starting to slowly prepare for an attempt to retake Erebor, and Nori knew that both his brothers considered joining. As tense and awkward as their relationship had become through the last years, Nori still wouldn’t let them go alone just like that. He’d have to sign on too, and for that he needed to be present in Ered Luin for the preparations.

If he actually was careful enough, he’d be able to leave Hakr’s annoying shadow for good, as a tiny bonus alongside making sure that Dori wouldn’t smother Ori and gaining a considerate amount of gold in the process. Dori’s attitude towards Nori had changed to being colder and suspicious of near anything he did, and Nori didn’t enjoy being around him much either, but they were brothers and simply being estranged wouldn’t release Nori from worrying. And Ori was sweet as ever, nearly a grown Dwarf now and eager to spend time around Nori, it wouldn’t be too bad to travel with Dori if he had that.

He’d also spend the entire journey in Dwalin’s company, though he wasn’t sure if the other would be all too pleased by that any longer. There had been no time to really speak to him properly, and Nori had not dared approach him or try and meet him alone. Sometimes he would see Dwalin in the market, looking his way, but there was always the chance of someone Nori did not want to be found by seeing him, so he never really lingered anywhere and walked through the streets with purpose and only as little as he had to. At other times he just felt like he didn’t want to risk being rejected just now.

Especially when the preparations for the journey started, Nori suspected that he would simply leave if Dwalin decided that he didn’t want him. In itself that wasn’t a bad thing, but Nori had seen enough arrangements of the sort break apart in a less than amiable way, and having to deal both with Hakr and being on Dwalin’s bad side wasn’t something he particularly relished.

Nori did not know whether Dwalin was the sort to hold a grudge against former lovers, and he did not know how he would treat him if they weren’t fucking occasionally. He _was_ everything Dwalin was supposed to dislike after all.

The quest started and Nori still found a way to practically avoid Dwalin, even though they now were a tiny group traveling together. It helped that Bofur was there, always entertaining company, and both Fíli and Kíli were fascinated by whatever stories he had to tell of the lands he travelled, as neither had ever got to listen to someone who had done so with less than noble intentions like their own family had.

It was only after leaving the Shire with a wizard and a Hobbit in tow that Nori finally decided that it was safe to try and see how Dwalin would react to him. He surely wouldn’t behave hostile, not on a quest such as theirs. Whatever else Dwalin was, he also was a warrior and not starting a feud with someone of your company was part of the professional behaviour.

Still, Nori would have preferred to have their first proper conversation in private, as even the end of a relationship on good terms was not something he’d like to be witnessed by everyone else. He didn’t want _any_ possible outcome to be witnessed really.

There was no opportunity for it during the first few days, with one of them always on watch or being tasked with things that had them working too far away to casually walk over or the camp being too small and close together for privacy. Finally Nori got his chance when they camped beside some trees and bushes, in a place that had enough comfortable ground to spread out their bedrolls. Both his brothers and Bofur were sleeping far enough away that he could slip away unnoticed, and Dwalin himself had conveniently placed his bedroll as far from the rest as possible.

The night was cold enough for Nori to start shivering as he quietly made his way between their sleeping companions. Once he finally reached Dwalin’s bedroll, he immediately snuggled up to his back; he had nearly forgotten just how warm and comfortable Dwalin was. And perhaps this was even better than to awkwardly try to _explain_ that he wanted to know whether they could go back to how it was.

Dwalin blinked down on him sleepily, but arranged the blankets a little when he recognized what was going on, so that no part of Nori was sticking out of the bedroll. He shifted slightly, and Nori could feel him tense up, looking towards where everyone else was fast asleep.

There it was, the less than clever bit about the plan. Obviously Dwalin wouldn’t want to do anything with Nori sneaking up on that with the chance of the company noticing, even if he was still interested in Nori.

“Do you mind if I stay?” Nori braced his elbows against the ground, ready to leave for his own bedroll and either try again later or deal with things being over. He had not really expected Dwalin to actually laugh and pull him closer.

“Not at all. But only if you let me sleep now and don’t disturb me.”

Nori let out a relieved sigh and put his head on Dwalin’s chest, cuddling up as close and comfortable as he could.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, soldier,” he muttered, listening to Dwalin’s even breathing before drifting off to sleep himself.

***

In the days after that, their relationship returned to how it had been before, if not better and closer. Of course, Nori still kept away from Dwalin and wouldn’t be by his side that much more than with anyone else of the company, but their presence was nice after all and it wasn’t that wise flirting too obviously while Dori was watching. Nori would rather not have the attention of his older brother on him so much that he wouldn’t have any time for Dwalin at all.

While Nori wasn’t showing any public affection, he was certain that he wouldn’t have done it even if he and Dwalin were an official couple, with all the company knowing that there really was more than just history between them. It was nice anyway, being able to spend the nights close to Dwalin, either with his bedroll pushed as close as he could without having Dori’s disapproving look directed at him, or even slipping out at night and sleeping curled against Dwalin, when he could get away with it.

That was the best part actually, Nori was used to not having anyone to sleep with for a long time, always journeying through places with nobody there he’d be interested in and more recently not even looking for such company. It was not having anyone to _sleep_ with what Nori had never gotten used to. Sleeping hidden away in the bushes or little caves and rooms in inns, with nothing but his light travel pack or whatever items he had come by without paying there with him… Nori would never admit it to anyone, but he hated that more than anything. Even the nights he had spent in jail had been preferable, with inmates in neighbouring cells or even some of the bored guards who did not mind chatting with those who had not committed any serious crimes.

Now he actually could sleep by the side of people he was fond of, sometimes with Ori curled into his blankets next to him, sometimes leaning against Bofur when they were minding the fire and just couldn’t stay up. Though the best still was with Dwalin, who didn’t even mind Nori staying inside his small bedroll when they weren’t actually sleeping together. Nori would feel him smile when he kissed his cheek as Dwalin was falling asleep, and have warm hands run up and down his back in a soothing motion, or just sleepily watch how Dwalin tried to tie clumsy knots around his fingers when he wasn’t tired himself. Being woken by hands softly combing through his tangled hair before he had to get up and help prepare breakfast on foggy mornings was also nice, as were the days when Nori would wear his gloves over whatever threads were still secure around his fingers until they went to sleep again.

It was wonderful that way, and felt more like a pleasant trip instead of a quest to reclaim the homeland of their people and gain a large amount of gold in the process. Until the usual complications of any journey started and they all started to get into danger. Though Nori really hadn’t expected the danger to become so life-threatening and happen quite so frequently as it did on their journey. First trolls, then orcs and later elves (with a wonderful amount of old looking silver to compensate) and then an entire day of increasingly ridiculous situations, starting with storm giants and ending with escaping from burning trees and wargs on the backs of enormous eagles.

One day Nori would laugh about it all, he was sure, even if nobody would believe it. But after they had _finally_ escaped and got to sit down by a nice little river to wash off the dirt, it was all he could do to force his hands to stay steady enough to apply Óin’s medicine on is bruises. Just the memory of it all nearly made Nori sick right now, having to run and fight their away through the twisted tunnels inside the mountains, and the brief moments when he though he’s surely be crushed until Dwalin had dragged him away, or seeing both his brothers hanging above the valley…

Once the rush of the battle and the immediate danger had passed, nobody had been quite well, but most dealt with their exhaustion and stress by finding a soft spot of grass and taking a nap. He knew he would feel much better after some sleep too, once he actually managed to be calm enough to do that.

Dwalin came to check on him after a while, and though he really wouldn’t have wanted the whole company within eyesight, Nori couldn’t help but cling to him. And once he had his arms around Dwalin, he couldn’t bring himself to let go for way too long. Dwalin didn’t complain or show any signs of annoyance and held him in turn until Nori was ready to release him.

***

The first day at the skinchanger’s house was spent with everyone mostly trying to eat all of the food that was offered to them, without meat but nevertheless much better than what they had had on most days on the road and certainly better than what the elves had offered. Trying to get used to the scale of everything inside the house and the intelligent animals was another thing that preoccupied everyone’s mind, so Nori had no chance of really talking to their host.

Everyone ended up going to sleep early to catch up with the last couple of days in a relatively peaceful and safe environment. The next day everybody was still relaxing and taking their time to heal from the battle and tumble down several cliffs and trees, so Nori was free to explore Beorn’s house undisturbed. There was nothing worth stealing there, only some tall books that were too big to casually open and look through them anyway, and Nori wouldn’t take those or actually try to steal from someone who could turn into a gigantic bear.

Nori had never heard of an actual skinchanger before, and most solitary settlers stayed among themselves so someone who was a stranger to the lands would not know about them. It was always useful to be aware of these sorts of things, like where their homes were, and if they might be ready to trade or take someone in who was probably not out on any legal and honourable business. It was good to know what you shouldn’t be doing or how to sneak through the lands and only take what wouldn’t be missed to have some food.

Beorn was mostly paying attention to Bilbo, finding the little Hobbit amusing and not unlike some of the animals he usually seemed to deal with, but when Nori joined them he was ready to talk to the Dwarf too. Nori was careful to choose his words and make them seem innocent like he would not know what to do with the information anyway, using his best ‘charming with a pretty face but up to nothing’ gaze as he asked Beorn about what sort of intelligent animals lived here, and how many regular ones or where exactly the boarders of his lands were.

Beorn seemed happy enough to provide the information, so perhaps Nori might have just asked straight away. It didn’t matter; one never could practice their conning skills enough.

For the rest of the day, Nori helped Dori mend some of their family’s clothes and repair what was left of their bags, carved a new pipe with Bofur, as his spare had broken and showed Fíli how to tie throwing knives to boots as the previous straps were torn. When night came, the company scattered further around Beorn’s home, not feeling the need to be close that much anymore.

Nori had considered napping next to Ori for a while and then sneaking away to get Dwalin and find a quiet corner, but while he was trying to find where Ori had set up his bed Dwalin came and dragged him off.

He had put his blankets and bedroll far enough apart from where everyone else was that they wouldn’t be heard if they took care. It was nice to have Dwalin already taking care of these things, and it was also nice to have your clothes taken off for you quickly and efficiently (though perhaps in need of stitches, but right now he could conveniently claim that these were from the goblin caves).

Dwalin was rough, hands gripping at Nori’s body harder than normally, and it was good, all brief moments of discomfort gone before they’d be enough to complain, and after so long of his self-inflicted celibacy and no privacy to get Dwalin to fuck him, it was perhaps too much and too good at once to really think about not being able to walk the next day.

Really, too good to complain, even when Dwalin was biting along his collarbones and neck, hard and high enough that he just knew that there would most likely be visible marks, and he had told Dwalin not to do that if Dori was likely to notice. But who cared, why should he mind, he could worry about that later.

Nori didn’t waste any effort on trying to keep quiet or muffle any moans, that he could do on a later round, right now he just wanted to enjoy himself and he knew that Dwalin would like that too, possessive as he was when they fucked.

“Have you missed this? When you were out travelling or when I was gone?” Dwalin asked just as Nori was really starting to loose the required concentration to properly talk. But if Dwalin was into that now…

“Yesss, missed you and your hands,” he gasped as Dwalin fingers stroked over his belly and wrapped around his erection, moving _just_ the way he liked it best. “Always – hmmm, _oh_ , just like that – thought of you when I felt lonely.”

Nori tried to think of something hot to say next, some sort of graphic description of one of the less pathetic moments he actually had spent thinking of Dwalin while wanking. There wasn’t really much he could remember with someone actually pressing him into the mattress at the moment, but then Dwalin pulled his hips closer for a better position, spoke again and kept him from inventing something.

“Did you think of me when you were with others? Did you imagine it was me, when you found random strangers to shag you on your travels?” He asked, increasing his pace. “Did you only look for Dwarves or did you let Men take you, too? Tell me, I don’t mind, I’m just curious if I can compete with what you want.”

That didn’t sound right. Nori’s eyes had fallen shut in his pleasure, but now he opened them to stare up at Dwalin. He had not just said that, he must have misheard or not gotten the meaning behind the words.

“What do you mean by–” he tried to ask, but then Dwalin moved his hips in a way that made Nori throw back his head and left him incapable of anything but making soft gasps and clinging to Dwalin’s arms.

Though the physical pleasure was getting too much to bear, Nori felt something cold and painful forming in his stomach. It wasn’t the first time someone had accused him of sleeping with someone else while fucking him, it wasn’t even the worst he had ever been called in bed. But it was _Dwalin_ , Dwalin who had never acted more jealous than Nori gave him reason for, Dwalin who was the only one who did not assume than he was easy, for whom he had actually remained faithful despite not knowing if that was even expected. He hadn’t even said it as if he were angry, as if he was fine if Nori was sleeping around, as if he really _did not care_ … And here Nori had thought that he could trust him.

The cold was quickly drowned out by a rush of burning anger, and Nori pushed himself off the mattress, using the momentum to flip Dwalin over so that he was straddling him. Before, he had thought that Dwalin’s pace was about as hard and rough as he could go at this time, but apparently being angry and trying not to show it was a good way go even harder.

He dragged his short nails over Dwalin’s skin, leaving white scratches on his skin, deliberately pressing his fingers were he had previously avoided the nasty bruises, bit his shoulder until the skin broke and watched as Dwalin came undone underneath him with a half pained groan, the bitter taste of blood on his tongue.

After a few strokes Nori finished himself off and slid from Dwalin’s lap, staring at him with a withdrawn look. He contemplated just getting up and leaving, but really, he should have expected Dwalin to be like all before him. And he didn’t usually leave even the strangers he had slept with before just like that, and walking through the entire house to set up a bed… why bother.

He lay down across Dwalin’s chest, hearing his heartbeat slowing down already.

“Well…” he muttered, as he pulled the blankets up to cover them . “Let’s just say that nobody else has ever… done _this_.”

Dwalin was probably going to ask what exactly he meant but didn’t after all. Nori closed his eyes shut as tight and bit the inside of his lip, staying quiet and unmoving as the other slowly fell asleep. Nori wished he could do that too, as easily as Dwalin had. But the tight cold knot in his stomach had returned and he just couldn’t…

So instead he lay across Dwalin, uncomfortably stiff and wishing that Dwalin _hadn’t_ said what he had said, wished he hadn’t heard it or could just forget. That thought kept repeating itself in his mind and was tormenting him until he finally fell asleep a few hours before dawn.

***

When the sun had risen high enough to shine through the windows into Beorn’s rooms, Nori woke up and slipped away as quickly as he could without making it seem like he was in a rush. Dwalin moved, not quite awake and ran his fingers over Nori’s back as he was pulling on his boots, but he didn’t protest him leaving after Nori muttered something about wanting to get cleaned up and mend some of the gear that had survived the Misty Mountains.

He wasn’t sure what he was to do with the day; yesterday he might have planed to be lazy and see what everyone else was doing, but now he did not feel like doing any of that. Not after last night…

It really shouldn’t bother Nori as much as it did, he had _known_ that Dwalin had no reason to assume he’d not sleep with anyone else, just as Nori hadn’t been sure that Dwalin wouldn’t himself. Really, after all this time Dwalin had more reason to assume he’d have been with others than anyone else who had said Nori was too easy before. And yet, having Dwalin just say it like that…

As if it didn’t even _bother_ him, as if he was just talking about something mundane. Nori thought that perhaps he wouldn’t have felt so miserable about it all if Dwalin had acted jealous, had demanded that Nori never ever even thought about cheating that he would never find anyone like Dwalin. Which, yes, might have been annoying if Dwalin would get _too_ jealous and suspicious, but having your lover get passionate and possessive was something Nori would appreciate a lot.

Like this, it really just showed that he was nothing to Dwalin. Perhaps someone he liked well enough and had _perhaps_ cared deeply about before, and also the one he preferred to fuck of all in their current company. But nothing more.

Nori could live with that, could even pretend that nothing had changed and perhaps just tone down all non-sexual signs of affection a little, so that Dwalin wouldn’t eventually notice that he felt more for him. It would be fine, better than nothing. He would just have to keep his distance for a little while, until the initial hurt faded and numbed away enough to forget it.

That decision still left Nori at a loss about what to do with himself. He considered joining Dori again, but he seemed to be discussing some of the things Ori had written into his notebook, and it really didn’t look like something he wanted to be doing. Bofur was out in the fields, both he and Fíli helping Kíli collect a truly ridiculous amount of flowers, laughing and snickering all the time while Bifur kept picking some out of their bunch and trying them if they tasted good.

It seemed like they were preparing some sort of joke with it, from the way Bofur and Fíli were reacting and whispering among each other, so Nori turned away from them too. He had no wish to pretend to be up to these things now.

Somehow he ended up taking a walk through the immediate surroundings of Beorn’s house, like the rest of the company was probably doing. He watched the dogs and sheep go about their business and disappearing into the kitchen but they left him alone and he didn’t bother them either. After a while, he decided to just stay behind the house, where the least windows were and nobody would run into him.

Nori didn’t usually choose to be on his own when he had a choice, but right now it helped him clear his head. Later he would go back and pretend that everything was as it should be.

That was when Dwalin walked around the corner, carrying a bunch of flowers which were carefully tied together. It looked similar to what Kíli had tried to collect earlier, but perhaps with a bit more order in the mess.

“What are these for?” Nori asked and smirked as Dwalin approached him with it. He really hadn’t wanted to be part of whatever the boys had planed, but now that they had roped in Dwalin for it… Perhaps it was something especially good after all, most likely a prank they wanted to play on Bilbo.

Dwalin didn’t say a thing as he walked closer, the determined expression on his face waking Nori’s curiosity. When he was right in front of him Dwalin went down on one knee and held out the flowers, speaking just before Nori cold ask him about what he was doing.

“Nori, son of Kori, would you do me the honour of being my husband? I cannot offer you anything but these flowers now, but I will gift you a bead and all the jewels you deserve once we’re in Erebor.”

Dwalin just knelt there after he said that, watching Nori as he stared back down at him and the flowers and didn’t move away. It took a moment until the words made sense in Nori’s head, trying to understand how marriage and Erebor and these flowers had any connection to him and Dwalin.

He remembered the gifting of flowers being part of the courting for some folks but why would Dwalin do that now and here? Could that be … sincere? Was he really wishing to marry Nori but decided to give flowers instead of anything a traditional Dwarfish courting would include, as he had said?

But no, after the way Dwalin had acted the night before it was clear that he didn’t care for Nori enough to marry him. So was this part of the prank? Had they decided to play it on Nori? Had they _known_ that Nori had actual feelings for Dwalin, or was this just a childish way to make fun of them sleeping together?

Dwalin couldn’t have known what Nori felt about it all, or he surely wouldn’t have done such a thing even for a dare. Still, this was about the worst slap to the face he could have given Nori, even done unintentionally, it was more than Nori wanted to put up with.

“No, I don’t think I want to,” he replied, feeling the icy feeling from when Dwalin had first shattered any hopes he’d had returning and curling in his stomach. He gave Dwalin one last look before turning to not have to see someone he had once believed to be the best Dwarf he had ever met, but who was apparently one of those who went around proposing for fun to others and breaking their hearts in the process.

“What? Just like that? Can I at least know why?!” The flowers rustled as Dwalin got up to his feet and grabbed Nori’s wrist, trying to pull him back.

Nori pulled his hand away, looking back to sneer at Dwalin. So not only did he go around being a bastard like that, no, he also couldn’t handle rejection? What did he think that he was the best catch whom nobody could refuse?

“I just don’t think that I want to be the husband of someone like you. You can keep those flowers to yourself. And your beads and jewels, too.”

Dwalin didn’t try to stop him again as Nori walked away and that was just fine with him. He had truly believed that he could just pretend and go on being with Dwalin, even with his feelings not being returned. But if Dwalin was just going to be like that, and trample all over whatever he felt? He really could do without that.

Just before turning around the corner, Nori stopped again.

“And don’t try to approach me anymore either, just keep as far away from me as you can here,” he said, before leaving Dwalin behind. He half hoped that Dwalin would follow him and try to hold him back, giving Nori any reason to pull a knife out of his boot and lash out at him, show him that he _meant_ it, but Dwalin didn’t even try to catch up.

Nori wasn’t really looking where he was going, but soon he found himself inside the house, where Dori was still busy fixing everybody’s clothes. He sat down and put his head on Dori’s lap, all rather roughly and making Dori protest and snatch his needles and threads away before Nori could break anything.

He didn’t say anything after watching Nori’s expression for a while, and then put away his things with a sigh and gently started to undo Nori’s braids, brushing his hair and petting his head while making new ones. He took far longer than necessary; Nori even suspected that he kept redoing the same braids over and over, but neither mentioned it and Nori just buried his face in Dori’s tunic, grateful for the little comfort.

***

Dwalin tried to approach Nori for the rest of their stay at Beorn’s, but Nori never gave him the opportunity to even talk to him while others were around. It was surprisingly easy to keep away from him completely; the house and fields had enough hiding spots, and there always was something interesting to explore or to do, giving Nori the opportunity to get up and walk away each time he noticed Dwalin looking. None seemed to notice it that much, though Dori appeared to be increasingly exasperated about it all, while still helping Nori pretend to be busy. Once Nori even climbed onto the roof, knowing that Dwalin was too heavy and clumsy to follow, and stayed there the entire day.

At night he would stay with Dori and make Ori lie with them, or just make sure that he was always at least looking as if he was fast asleep, just in case Dwalin should decide to try and talk to him then. He didn’t though, leaving Nori with a wonderful opportunity to feel miserable and stare at the fraying edges of his blanket all night, waiting for the hurt or sadness or anger or whatever else he was feeling that particular night to fade away, wondering when it would be completely fine.

Once they finally left on their borrowed ponies and started to make their way to Mirkwood, Dwalin finally stopped to even try and talk about everyday things, making it easier for Nori to ignore his existence completely. That was much easier, but it also meant that he was nearly always seeing him, or him being in his line of sight, no matter were he rode or ate or slept, making it that much harder to fall asleep and try to forget the hurt.

At least that would serve to always remind him why being around Dwalin was a bad idea. Dwalin likely hadn’t even known how what he had done was wrong, and he wouldn’t have done it if he knew. And in order to make him understand Nori would have to explain his feelings, which he wouldn’t do, knowing that Dwalin didn’t return them. No, it was better to ignore that he had loved him at all.

When they reached Mirkwood and started to get lost and had no hope, food or water left, it seemed like a ridiculous thing to pretend. They would all die between these damned trees anyway, and wasn’t it pathetic to cling to the hurt and the knowledge of Dwalin not loving him back now, in what might be the last moments of his life? What did it matter anyway?

They all had sat down to rest before trying to walk on not actually daring to go to sleep, and Nori made his way through their exhausted companions and sat down next to Dwalin, burying his face in the furs.

“I’m sorry,” he managed to whisper, and he really was. He could have forgiven Dwalin earlier, could have just acknowledged that Dwalin really wouldn’t have done anything to hurt Nori intentionally, even if he didn’t _love_ him. They could have spent these last weeks together, giving each other comfort.

He felt Dwalin sigh and then he pressed a soft kiss against his head and wrapped his arms around him. Nori relaxed against him, too tired to move anymore, and they stayed like that as they waited for the pitch-black night to turn into the dawn of Mirkwood’s day.

**Author's Note:**

> yes well... this turned out much longer than I expected? And has attempted smut? hu?  
> I do hope I haven't forgotten anything here...
> 
> This is the events of this Chapter: http://archiveofourown.org/works/985990/chapters/1955992 from Nori's view. I will do other chapters and also what Ori and Dori have been up to later


End file.
